NASA astronaut photographed Athens from a very high altitude

An astronaut on the International Space Station captured a breathtaking photograph of Athens at night.

The photo was “taken” on September 17, 2022 with a Nikon D5 digital camera with a focal length of 180 millimeters. In the photo, the illuminated streets of the city meander like “flaming” rivers, and the city “flows” towards the coast.

In night photographs, taken not even from a bird’s eye view, but from a much higher view, sharp transitions from illuminated areas to unlit areas are observed where urban development is adjacent to reservoirs, wastelands, and forest parks.

In this photo, the lighting ends abruptly on the southern outskirts of Athens, where the Saronic Gulf “looms” over the city. The northwestern part of the capital is also experiencing a sharp decrease in lighting due to Mount Parnitha. Similarly, the lack of lighting between the city and Athens International Airport is due to the difficult terrain of the Ymittos mountain range.

The ancient and modern elements of Athens also contrast at night. Yellow and orange lights indicate old (sodium) lighting. And on the other side, white lights indicate areas illuminated using the latest LED technology.

Small dark spots in the central part of the city are the most important ancient monuments of the fifth century BC, such as the Acropolis, Parthenon and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

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